If you’re looking for the NRFI best bets for today, you’re in the right place! I’ve got you covered with my top No Run First Inning picks for Friday, April 17, and we’ll break down the MLB odds on Hard Rock Bet. Let’s dive into it.
NRFI Best Bets Today for Friday, April 17
I’m hunting for the best NRFI picks today, and I found three first-inning matchups on Hard Rock Bet that are standing out:
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Mets @ Cubs – 2:20pm ET
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Royals @ Yankees – 7:05pm ET
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Dodgers @ Rockies – 8:40pm ET
NRFI Pick: New York Mets at Chicago Cubs (-115)
The game total sits at 10.5, largely because the wind is roaring out to left field at Wrigley. That’s a huge bump to bats and explains the inflated number. But it also means we’re getting a generous price on an NRFI bet that would typically be juiced to the over.
Edward Cabrera toes the rubber for the Cubs, and he’s been pretty awesome this season. In a small sample, hitters are batting just .125 against him their first time through the order, and he’s given up just one earned run in 7.2 first-time-through innings, per FanGraphs.
The Mets have been absolutely anemic — dead last in wRC+ against right-handed pitching over the last week and striking out at the second-highest clip in baseball during that stretch.
Kodai Senga is the trickier component, but he’s talented. He’s given up just one earned run in six innings pitched the first time through the order this season.
Per TeamRankings, the Cubs rank 25th in first-inning scoring. At -115 with two talented arms on the bump and the Mets struggling to score, this NRFI bet today has real value.
NRFI Pick: Kansas City Royals at New York Yankees (-120)
Cam Schlittler duels Michael Wacha at Yankee Stadium, and I like this No Run First Inning bet at -120. The Royals are the second-worst team in baseball in first-inning scoring this season, per TeamRankings. That’s borderline pathetic, especially with Bobby Witt near the top of that lineup.
On the flip side, the Yankees have been solid in the first inning this season, and Aaron Judge is always a threat. But Wacha has been elite early in games. First time through the order this season, he’s thrown eight scoreless innings with eight strikeouts.
In 2025, Wacha threw 31 first innings with a sparkling 1.74 ERA, giving up just six earned runs. Things typically fall apart for him later, but early in the game, he’s been rock solid across a big sample.
Schlittler’s elite stuff should handle the Royals’ anemic first-inning offense. It’s a bit of an adrenaline rush picking an NRFI with the Yankees involved. But the generous odds and Wacha’s, dare I say, elite first-inning performance dating back to last season, have me sold.
NRFI Bets Today: Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies (-115)
The Dodgers and Rockies at Coors Field sounds terrifying for an NRFI pick today, but hear me out. The game total is 9.5 — under normal Coors conditions, it’d be higher. That’s because it’s projected to be under 40 degrees at first pitch with wind blowing in. That’s not your typical Coors Field game, and it’s a real benefit for this NRFI bet.
Tyler Glasnow takes the mound for the Dodgers, and when healthy, his stuff is elite. He hasn’t been perfect, but elite talent in favorable weather conditions is a combination worth backing. Colorado has been slightly below league average in first-inning scoring this season.
Tomoyuki Sugano this season for the Rockies:
16.2 innings
10 hits
4 runs (all solo homers)
3 walks
12 strikeouts2.16 ERA // 0.78 WHIP // .167 BAA pic.twitter.com/9dYOETJIHs
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) April 11, 2026
On the other side, Tomoyuki Sugano ranks in the 66th percentile in ground-ball rate on Baseball Savant this season. He doesn’t miss a ton of bats, which is a concern against a Dodgers lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani at the top.
But Sugano has been solid to start 2026 with a 2.16 ERA across 16.2 innings, and the cold weather with wind blowing in should suppress some of that Dodgers power.
At -115, you’re getting much better odds than what you’d typically lay on a strong pitching matchup — compare this to something like Jacob deGrom vs. Logan Gilbert, which is listed at -170 today. If you’re betting straight, which number would you rather lay, given the circumstances?
For me, it’s the game at Coors Field, which sounds silly without context, but that’s why we’re here with this NRFI article!
Good luck with your NRFI picks today, and have a great weekend!
All referenced odds are subject to change.
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